[Leica] Regarding rainbows...

[douglas.sharp at gmx.de (Douglas Sharp)]

http://www.europhysicsnews.org/full/37/article3.pdf
Is this scientific enough :-)
Douglas


G Hopkinson wrote:
> Adam did you want to know or just tell us that you were in a catamaran off 
> Waikiki ;-)
> When you tilted your head down, did you also see a frosty drink in your 
> hand? How about sideways, were there attractive ladies in
> bikinis?
>
> I imagine that the same optical rules would apply to the rainbow as to 
> reflections from the ocean's surface. It is after all water
> reflecting light. In this case refracting it as well. Still I bet someone 
> on the list will provide a more scientific explanation.
> Cheers
> Hoppy
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: lug-bounces+hoppyman=bigpond.net.au@leica-users.org 
> [mailto:lug-bounces+hoppyman=bigpond.net.au@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of
> Adam Bridge
> Sent: Monday, 18 December 2006 05:06
> To: Leica Users Group
> Subject: [Leica] Regarding rainbows...
>
> So we were out on a catamaran off Waikiki yesterday and everyone
> started commenting on the gorgeous rainbow over the city - except I
> couldn't see it. Then it occurred to me that I was wearing polarizing
> clip-on sunglasses and darn if, when I tilted them down, there was the
> rainbow. Tilting my head 90 degrees also revealed the rainbow.
>
> So why are rainbows polarized? I didn't expect this and I don't think
> I've ever read that they were.
>
> Maybe I'm the only guy on the planet not to know this but in the
> meantime I thought I'd share.
>
> Can anyone explain WHY rainbows are polarized?
>
> AB
>
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